Spatial distribution of soil nutrients and their response to land use in eroded area of South China

Spatial distribution features of soil nutrient contents and their response to land use were studied in the area of Zhuxi small watershed, where is a typical representative of red soil eroded region in South China, based on field investigation and laboratory analysis by using geographic information system technology and mathematical statistics methods. The results indicated that the features of soil nutrients distribution present ribbon and plaque shape; and spatial variability of nutrients was large in western, because of its complex types of land use. The spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients was significantly influenced by the land use (P<0.01). The rank of the influenced nutrients was as follows: total phosphorus>total nitrogen>total potassium>organic matters. Soil organic matter showed a significant, fine and non-significant correlation with total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium respectively. Soil nutrients play an important role for ecosystem function and stability, even in red soil eroded region.